Third POV

Asher took a step back, stunned by Hazel’s sudden outburst. Her words hit him like a physical blow.

“That’s not true,” he said, his voice defensive. “Of course I’ve considered our future together. That’s exactly why I have to be careful.”

Hazel let out a cold laugh that made his skin crawl. The sound was bitter and hollow.

“Careful?” she repeated. “I’m the one who has to be careful, Asher. I’m the one with everything to lose here.”

Her green eyes blazed with fury.

“If we’re caught, what happens to you? Nothing. You go back to Moonveil as their Alpha, just like always. But me?” Her voice cracked. “I get dragged back as an Omega servant. I’ll spend the rest of my life scrubbing floors and serving people who used to work for me.”

Asher opened his mouth to protest, but Hazel wasn’t finished.

“And what about Finn?” Hazel’s voice broke completely now. “He’s my son, Asher. My biological son. When he becomes the next Alpha of Moonveil, what do you think people will say? They’ll laugh at him. Who would respect an Alpha if their mother was an Omega?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks, but her voice remained strong.

“Our poor son will become a laughing stock because of this mess.”

Asher’s jaw clenched. “I already convinced Estelle to come back. Once she returns, everything will be settled. She’s always handled the pack well. Things will stabilize.”

Hazel shook her head violently.

“And then what? She gets officially named Luna while I disappear into the shadows? I’ve already suffered enough watching my mate pretend to love another woman. I’ve watched my son call someone else ‘mom’ for years. How much more pain do you expect me to endure?”

Her hands shook as she wiped her tears.

“I can’t handle this anymore, Asher. I can’t keep living like this.”

Asher’s frustration finally boiled over. “Then what do you want me to do? Just calm down and think this through.”

“Calm down?” Hazel’s voice turned deadly quiet. “Don’t you dare tell me to calm down.”

Asher ran his hands through his hair, trying to control his temper.

“Look,” he said, forcing his voice to remain steady. “When Moonveil is stable, I’ll find an excuse to handle Estelle. I can officially reject her then. The Luna position will automatically go to you, my rightful fated mate. By then, I’ll have full control of the pack.”

He moved closer, his expression serious.

“The council has been looking for excuses to replace me. I need to make sure they’re satisfied before I can make any major changes. You have to understand that.”

Hazel stared at him in disbelief.

“And what about me until then? Am I supposed to hide like some dirty secret? For how long? Another three years? Five years? More?”

Her voice cracked again.

“I can’t keep living in neutral territory, pretending we don’t exist. I can’t keep watching from the sidelines while you play happy family with her.”

Asher’s patience finally snapped.

“Why are you being so difficult?” he exploded. “I’m trying my best to make this work, but you’re only making everything harder!”

Hazel flinched as if he’d slapped her.

“If you could’ve just handled the Luna duties properly when Estelle first handed them over, we wouldn’t be in this mess. So really, this is your fault too.”

The words hung in the air between them like poison.

Asher’s chest heaved with anger, but he wasn’t finished.

“And Finn is still sick, Hazel. His health is declining rapidly. The healers said Estelle might be the only one who can cure him. Do you want our son to die?” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “At this rate, he might not even live to the day to take over as the new Alpha of Moonveil!”

Hazel’s face went white.

Asher straightened his shirt, his expression cold now.

“I need to return to Moonveil to prepare for Estelle’s return. And if you’re so worried about being caught and becoming an Omega, then maybe it’s best if we don’t meet for a while.”

Without another word, he stormed toward the door.

“Asher, wait—” Hazel tried to follow him, but her legs gave out.

She crashed to the floor with a loud thud, pain shooting through her knees and palms.

But Asher didn’t turn back.

She heard his footsteps in the hallway before it was followed by a harsh slam of the front doors. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Hazel lay on the cold floor, tears streaming down her face.

In all the years she’d known Asher, he had never spoken to her so cruelly. Every fight they’d had recently traced back to one person.

Estelle.

***

Estelle’s POV

The next evening, I arrived at the restaurant thirty minutes early. The venue was elegant but not overly formal, with soft lighting and a view of the neutral territory’s city skyline.

I’d chosen this place carefully. It was somewhere nice enough to show respect, but not so fancy that it would feel awkward.

Caleb had insisted on driving me, despite my protests that I could handle it myself.

“You look nervous,” he’d said during the drive. “It’s just dinner.”

I smoothed my black dress and checked my reflection in the car window one last time.

As I unbuckled my seatbelt, Caleb glanced at the wrapped gift box on my lap.

“Is that a birthday present for the Lycan King?” he asked casually.

I froze, my fingers still on the seatbelt clasp. My eyes widened in horror.

“It’s Zayne’s birthday?”